Eyeglass display holder

ABSTRACT

An eyeglass display card is provided wherein the temples of each pair of glasses are maintained in a folded configuration thereby preventing removal of the glasses from the display card without first removing the display card from a rack or frame which also serves to maintain the display card in a generally upright position, and means are provided on the card which coact with means on the rack or frame for sounding an alarm when the card is moved toward a card removal position.

United States Patent 1 1 Rosenwein Sept. 17, 1974 [5 EYEGLASS DISPLAY HOLDER 2,640,455 6/1953 Talucci 116/86 2,716,485 8/1955 Hecker 206/4514 X [76] lnvemor' Davd Rosmwem, S- Harper 2,764,286 9/1956 clli'mlCliael 206 79 L05 Angeles, Cahf' 90047 3,040,881 6 1962 McNeill 211/13 x 3,184,058 5/1965 Crowther 211/13 X [22] 1973 3,200,958 8/1965 Hudgeons 81.81... 211 4 [21] Appl. No.: 338,820 3,569,644 3/1971 Brugger 116/75 X Relateq Application Data Primary E.raminer-Ramon S. Britts [63] gg g g of 2531798 May Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Harold L. Stowell Ll all one 52 us. (:1 211/13, 116/75, 206/4515, [57] T T 248/DIG. 2 An eyeglass display card is providedwherein the tem- 5 Int. Cl 7; 7 2 365d 5/50 g 13/14 ples of each pair of glasses are maintained in a folded [58] Field 61 Search 211/13, 4, 169, 169.1; configurallon r y p m removal of t 248/1316 55 4514 79, 80, 4411 glasses from the display card without first removing 7 7 116/75 85, 86, 72, 8 the display card from a rack or frame which also serves to maintain the display card in a generally up- 5 References Cited right position, and means are provided on the card UNITED STATES PATENTS which coact with means on the rack or frame for l 156 644 10,195 V n 206/44 H sounding an alarm when the card is moved toward a e card removal position. 2,604,868 7/1952 Shearer 116/75 2,611,334 9/1952 Counts et a1 1 16/86 X 4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 1 EYEGLASS DISPLAY HOLDER This application is a continuation-in-Part of my copending application Ser. No. 253,798 filed May 16, 1972, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Eyeglasses and particularly sunglasses which are sold from counter displays in drugstores, gas stations, novelty stores and the like are often stolen and it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an eyeglass display holder which will permit prospective customers to examine the glasses and still render it difficult to remove the glasses from the display card and to sound an alarm to thereby reduce to a minimum shoplifting thereof.

Itis a further object to provide such a device which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and does not detract from the prominent displaying of the glasses.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a shoplifting protective device which will alert store personnel each time the eyeglass display card is raised to an eyeglass removing position.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are provided by an eyeglass display holder comprising an elongated generally flat display card, vertical rows of pairs of openings, the spacing of said pairs of openings being generally equal to the spacing between the temples of the eyeglasses to be displayed, and sized to receive the temples thereof, a card receiving frame, said frame including a back wall, vertical side members and a bottom member, said side members and said bottom member being grooved to slidingly receive said display card in spaced relationship to said back wall with the spacing between the card and the back wall permitting reception of the folded temples of the displayed glasses, an alarm, and means coacting with the card and the card receiving frame to actuate the alarm when the card is moved to an eyeglass releasing position.

The invention will be more particularly described in reference to the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the eyeglass display holder of the invention with the eyeglass display card shown removed and in its inserted position;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the device shown in FIG. 1 with the display card shown in its inserted position;

FIG. 3 is a back perspective view of the structures shown in FIG. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 4 is a section substantially on line 44 of FIG. 3.

Referring to the drawing generally designates the eyeglass display holder of the invention and includes an elongated generally flat display card 12. The display card 12 may be constructed of any relatively rigid selfsupporting material such as corrugated paperboard.

The display card 12 is provided with a zone generally designated 14 which may be utilized for advertising purposes and there below are two rows of vertical openings generally designated 16 and 18 with row 16 consisting of openings 20a and 20b and row 18 comprising openings 22a and 22b.

The openings may be completely'punched from the display card or as illustrated the openings may be formed by cutting along three of the edges leaving a flap 23 attached along the illustrated dotted lines 24 as more clearly shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 of the drawing.

The spacing between the vertical rows 20a-20b and 22a-22b of openings is so selected as to be substantially equal to the spacing between the temples 26a and 26b, FIG. 4, of the eyeglasses generally designated 28. The plural pairs of openings are vertically spaced such as to permit the displayed glasses 28 to be individually displayed in non-overlapping relationship.

One edge, edge 30 of the display card 12 has mounted thereon a first U-shaped electrical contact 32. The U-shaped contact is slipped over the edge 30 and secured thereto by a metallic fastener such as rivet 34 which fastener also functions as one electrical terminal for electric wire 36. As more clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the electrical contact 32 is positioned nearer to the bottom edge 40 than the top edge 42 of the display card 12 for reasons which will be apparent hereinafter.

While the display card 12 in the illustrated form of the invention is adapted to receive two rows of eyeglasses each containing six pairs the number of rows and the number of glasses per row may be varied without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The invention also includes a frame generally designated 50. The frame 50 includes a bottom frame member 52 and a pair of side frame members 54a and 54b. The frame members 52, 54a and 54b are secured in their illustrated arrangement by a back wall 56 which is secured to the frame members by gluing, nailing or the like.

In the illustrated form of the invention each vertical frame member 54a and 54b and the bottom frame member 52 are of an L-shaped configuration in transverse section so that when the back 56 is attached thereto side grooves 58a and 58b and bottom groove 60 are formed.

The side of the groove 58a, 58b, and 60 are such that the display card 12 is freely insertable therein with the displayed eyeglass temples 26a and 26b in folded relationship as shown in FIG. 4 of the drawing. It will be particularly noted from FIG. 4 that the eyeglasses 28 are retained in their displayed position as the back wall 56 prevents the temples from opening thereby preventing removal of the eyeglasses until the display board 12 is lifted upwardly to a position such that the folded temples 26a and 26b of the eyeglasses to be removed are clear of the top edge 62 of the back 56. Once the card 12 has been lifted sufficiently to free the temples 26a and 26b from engagement with the back wall 56 the temples may be unfolded and the eyeglasses readily removed.

In the illustrated form of the invention the display holder also includes a pair of bracket like legs 64 which cooperate with the back wall 56 and the side and bottom frame members to render the structure selfsupporting.

The back wall 56 has secured thereto a selfcontained alarm 66. The alarm is preferably of the conventional battery powered type having a pair of electrical terminals 68 and 70 associated therewith. The sound producing element of the alarm may comprise a buzzer, bell, siren or the like. End 72 of electrical lead 36 is attached to alarm terminal 70. The other terminal 68 has attached thereto end 74 of conductive wire 76 while the other end 78 is connected to a terminal 80 which terminal is in electrical contact with an elongate, electrical conductive generally U-shaped member 82.

The member 82 is sized to fit into the groove formed by L-shaped side member 54a and to extend at the lower end 84 just above the lowermost position of terminal 32 and at its upper end 86 a distance to insure that as the card 12 is withdrawn a substantial zone of contact between terminal 32 and member 82 exists as it is in this zone that the alarm is actuated by a flow of current from the batteries to the buzzer through conductive wires 36 and 76 and contacts 32 and 82.

It will be appreciated that a store salesperson, with knowledge of the alarm may inactivate the alarm by disconnecting one of the wires 36 or 76 from its terminal 68 or 70 when glasses are to be removed for sale or the salesperson may merely disregard the alarm during movement of the card carried contact 32 in the zone of contact 82. Further where desired a simple cut-off switch may be inserted in, for example, wire 36 or 76 for use by store salespersons when sales are to be made and glasses removed from the card 12.

The frame 50 may be constructed of wood, metal, plastic or combinations thereof and the material of construction is not deemed to be material except that where metal is used for the frame the U-shaped contact 82 may be electrically insulated therefrom.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the items and the objects of the present invention are fully accomplished.

I claim:

1. An eyeglass display holder in combination with a plurality of pairs of eyeglasses comprising an elongated generally flat, rigid self-supporting display card, vertical rows of pairs of openings, the spacing of said pairs of openings being equal to the spacing between the temples of each pair of said eyeglasses, and receiving the temples thereof through a pair of said openings, the temples being folded one upon the other retaining the eyeglasses on the card, means restricting opening of the folded temples of the card supported eyeglasses including; a frame slidably receiving said card, said frame including a back wall of substantially the same size and shape as the display card, vertical side members and a base member including means for supporting the eyeglasses display holder in an upright position which is adapted to seat on the top of a counter, said side members being spaced apart a distance only slightly less than the width of the card, the frame having an open front wall enabling the frames and lenses of the glasses to be viewed while the temples thereof are folded be-- hind the card to prevent pulling of the glasses off of the card, said side members and said base member being, said grooves slidingly receiving and housing the bottom and side edges of said display card in spaced relationship with said back wall creating a spacing between the card and the back wall accommodating the folded temples of the displayed glasses in abutting relationship with the back wall whereby said glasses cannot be removed from the card without first at least partially removing the card from the frame, said frame having an open top through which the card is removed; an alarm, and means coacting with the card and the card receiving frame to actuate the alarm when the card is moved upwardly through said open top to an eyeglass releasing position.

2. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said display card comprises cardboard and said card is provided with two vertical rows of pairs of openings.

3. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said coacting means comprise a card carried electrical contact and a U-shaped electrical contact received in a portion of the length of the grooved frame adjacent the card carried contact, and electrical conductors connecting the alarm and the electrical contacts.

4. The invention defined in claim 3 wherein the alarm comprises a battery powered siren. l l

' Claim 1, column 4 line 14 after "member being add "grooved".

Sighed and sealed this 19th day of November 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

McCOY M. GIBSON JR. C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE I I I 569 CERTIFICATE OF CORRE Patent 36,007 C Dated Sept m er 17, 1974 lnven DAVID ROSENWEIN It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below: 

1. An eyeglass display holder in combination with a plurality of pairs of eyeglasses comprising an elongated generally flat, rigid self-supporting display card, vertical rows of pairs of openings, the spacing of said pairs of openings being equal to the spacing between the temples of each pair of said eyeglasses, and receiving the temples thereof through a pair of said openings, the temples being folded one upon the other retaining the eyeglasses on the card, means restricting opening of the folded temples of the card supported eyeglasses including; a frame slidably receiving said card, said frame including a back wall of substantially the same size and shape as the display card, vertical side members and a base member including means for supporting the eyeglasses display holder in an upright position which is adapted to seat on the top of a counter, said side members being spaced apart a distance only slightly less than the width of the card, the frame having an open front wall enabling the frames and lenses of the glasses to be viewed while the temples thereof are folded behind the card to prevent pulling of the glasses off of the card, said side members and said base member being, said grooves slidingly receiving and housing the bottom and side edges of said display card in spaced relationship with said back wall creating a spacing between the card and the back wall accommodating the folded temples of the displayed glasses in abutting relationship with the back wall whereby said glasses cannot be removed from the card without first at least partially removing the card from the frame, said frame having an open top through which the card is removed; an alarm, and means coacting with the card and the card receiving frame to actuate the alarm when the card is moved upwardly through said open top to an eyeglass releasing position.
 2. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said display card comprises cardboard and said card is provided with two vertical rows of pairs of openings.
 3. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said coacting means comprise a card carried electrical contact and a U-shaped electrical contact received in a portion of the length of the grooved frame adjacent the card carried contact, and electrical conductors connecting the alarm and the electrical contacts.
 4. The invention defined in claim 3 wherein the alarm comprises a battery powered siren. 